Conveyer belt guard edge



Y H. AMBRUSON CONVEYER BELT GUARD EDGE April 2, 1946.

Filed Feb. 1.' 1943 wnn,

f n a Inf Patented Apr. 2, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONVEYERBELT GUARD EDGE Henry Ambruson, Worcester, Mass., assignor to WickwireSpencer Steel Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of DelawareApplication February 1, 1943, Serial No. 474,268

13 Claims. (Cl. ISS-201) This invention relates to wire conveyers havingone or more anges thereon and particularly to constructions whereby theflange is capable of greater elongation than the remainder of theconveyer so that on passage of the conveyer about an arcuate surface theflange will not be distorted or impose undesirable strains upon theconveyer.

It has been recognized heretofore that when a flanged conveyer passesabout an arcuate surface the arc through which the flange travels has agreater radius than the arc through which the body of the conveyertravels and that some provision should therefore be made to avoid theapplication of strains due to the tension on the periphery of the angeor the cramping of the central portion of the conveyer. In order toovercome this difliculty in flanged wire conveyers it has been suggestedheretofore that certain of the wires in the ange be omitted to permitrelative movement of the remaining wires in order that the flange may beelongated as the conveyer passes about an arcuate surface. However, ifwires are omitted from the flange, `the strength -of the ange isreduced, and there is a tendency for the flange to bend outward when theconveyer is heavily loaded and material presses outward against theflange. Under these circumstances some of the material may fall from theCOnVeYeI'..

In accordance with the present invention these objections toconstructions of the prior art are overcome and` means provided wherebythe ange of the conveyer retains all of the strength of the centralportion of the conveyer, but the wires forming the flange are capable ofsuch relative movement as to permit elongation ofthe flange as theconveyer passes about an arcuate surface.

These advantages maybe attained in various ways and by the use ofnumerous forms of interlaced wires. However, in general, constructionsembodying the present invention include one or more transverselyextending wires having end portions disposed in the flanges which permitgreater relative movement of the wires in the flange than in the body ofthe conveyer. In the preferred forms of the invention shown in thedrawing and hereinafter described, the end portions of the wires haveundulations or convolutions therein which are larger than those of thecentral portion of the wires.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a Wireconveyer with flanges possessing the desired strength but capable ofelongation to avoid the application of strains tothe flange or conveyerwhen the conveyer passes about an arcuate surface.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wire conveyer with aflange and having transversely extending wires provided with endportions disposed in the flange and formed to permit greater relativemovement of the wires in the ange than in the body of the conveyer.

A further object of the inventionv is to provide a flanged wireconveyer-with transversely extending wires having end portions thereofdisposed in the flange, the convolutions in the end portions of thewires being deeper or larger than those in the portions of the wireslocated in the body of the conveyer. v

These and other objects and features of the invention will appear fromthe following description thereof in which reference is made to thegures of the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a conveyer with the ange formingportion thereof turned outward to show the difference in construction ofthe body and flange.

Fig. 2 is a plan View ofone of the connecting wires embodied in theconstruction of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is aver-tical sectional view of the finished conveyer showing therelation of the flanges to the body of the conveyer in the finishedconstruction.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the conveyer anda pulley aboutwhich it passes.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a portion of 'an alternative form of connectingwire embodying the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a portion of a further alternative form ofconnecting wire embodying the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a portion of an alternative form of coiladapted for use in conveyers, embodying the present invention.

Fig. 8 is a plan View of a portion of a further alternative form of coiladapted for use in conveyers embodying the present invention, and

Figure 9 is a plan view of a` portion of another embodiment of theinvention.

In that form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawing, theconveyer has a central portion or body 2 formed of wires interlaced andarranged as desired, and is provided with flanges 4 extending along oneor both edges vof thecentral portion of the conveyer. Theparticularstyle of weave or the arrangement of the'wires and the mannerin which they are interlaced in forming the belt is capable of Widevariation, but for purposes of simplicity in illustrating the invention,the conveyer is shown as formed of a plurality of transversely extendingcoils E, 8, I and I2, the convolutions of which are hingedly connectedby means of transversely extending connecting Wires I4, I6, I8 and 20.The coiled Wires 6, 8, I0 and I2 are uniform throughout the lengththereof and extfend"to"{th central portion of the convey'er, shown attheE right of the dotted line A-A in Fig. l to the edge 22 of the flangeforming portion 4 of the conveyer shown at the left of line A--A in Fig.l. While the coilsE,.,8, I0 and, I2 are similar, the coils 6 and I0are"righthand coils, Whereas the coils 8 and I2fareV .left'landy coils,as is usual in wire conveyer" construction. v The connecting Wires I4,I6, I 8 and 2D which l hingedly connect the coilsliave central portions24, on the right of the line A-A in Fig. 1, that are provided withundulations orconvolution's'"` .Qfi 913e. Size. endend ,ppltoestf inthe-flange .femme Portion fof-the .Gom/.eist mated parte@ left of theune A A, which have-deeper but um- .,ffermlvpaced .undulations ,Q11convolutions Bt. lfhewend, portions of the l connecting, WiresY` and the.end portions ofthe coilsuare.thusxdisposedat .thegdgesfgepoetst/,Gr.andeitef fgrmine the ,enye'yerlthedges araturned upward totform the flanges.. 4. .Mille oepositedees pf the .Central .portion 2of.the @ni/ever. `,The ,undulating 0r, onvolutions 26 and 30 in-theconllectnewrs may lie ina single plane 01' theymay, .ifpreferrea.bearraneed .in the. form ofgasrziral.orihelx ,For this reason such un-.dulations vin,thejconnectitlawiresv I4, IS, I8 and and the turns in thecoils, ,6, ,8,., IUand I2Vare allreielzreiA tonelfeafter inthespecication and claims, as. ,ffconvolutions in theresnective Wires.

'.When ,tension appliedA to the lconvesler the uniform convolutionsinlheCentral portion of. the

coils 6, 8, I0 and I2 are drawnintodirecticontact with the uniform,convolutons.7.,2,6 in the central .i portion'. of the corinectinawiresla, it; liandzt. lHowever; the convolutionsv of. the coils, located inthe flanges of the conveyer a"re,notdrawninto.v

, :direct: contact with thelarger convolutions of the endLpfortonsVv of.theconnectingwires in the flanges 43j. 'llfieportionsofthe.coils andconnect-` ingyyviresilocatedin'the ,flange's are therefore spaced i as;shown at.. 3 I. in .,Figs. 1, and :4 and .are capable of relativemovement to permit elongation of, the nange aslthe conveyer passesatoutan arcuatesurfacejisuch as the 'puglley'l32 shown AiIL'iigure.4.'Y

.T hec'onvolutons 30 in the end portionl of the connecting Wires shownin Figs. 1a'nd.2.are of progressvelyifcreasing size ordepth tovvardthe"jextentiesf of"the"v`viresiand. the'e'd'ges 22 ofthe flanges but arespaced as inithe'ce'n'tral portion 24 of the Wire'. The/portions of thecoils located adjacent theedges' of"theiflanges therefore are capable ofgreater relative'inovement than. those portions, located near the'centralportior orfb'ody 2" of `*the 'conveyer to permit the conveyerto'pass about a pulley' or otherl arcuate surf ace rof relative- 1y small"diameter While providing substantially uniform support therefor:Asth'limit 'o'ff flexing is'approach'edl tall'. oftheconvolutions'io'f'the 'coils jini the v.flanges :move togetherinto"completev e'rigagemert Wi'tlr Y'convolutions of the" connecting-WiresA a'n'd Vnoone portionA` of Ltlie flange will 'be subjected to,a""'greatei-" or materially7 v.different strainthananother.""`

".Iiizthe alternative construction shown inFig. 5

',tlieipo'rtioriv of the connecting Wire which' islo- )n f in'gfwir'e isperfectly straight rh'asconvolutions of negligible: size therein,Whereas the end portions 40 of the Wire are formed with convolu- "tionsof progressively increasing size toward the ,extremen there@ It Willv beapparent that either of the forms of connecting 'wir shown in Figs. 5and 6 may be 'usefdi'n place of, the connecting wire of Fig. 2 toproducea flanged wire conveyer in which the VWires in the `flanges arecapable of sufficient relative movement to permit elongation of theflange as the conveyer passes over an arcuate surface or overahpulley.

In thafurzther alternativafprins, zof the invenf tion .slides/ii`inlli'gs. 7 and., 8, .the coils themselves ,are non-uniform linAconstructi on in that Vthe porbdyrentral, ,portion ,0f the.. contester4.have conroliltionspffone ,diametelutwhexeas the .end .p0rtions of thecoils are provided with convolutions of larger, diameter. 'I'hesecoilsmaybe used in Y combination `With 4co nventi o'nal. conneotingxlwiresAwhich are @itherzstraieht orfiformedwithnnifotm sonvolutions throughoutthe :,.leneth thereof.

However, indesird, theeoilst Fiss-37. and may be usedyvith the conne,ina wireS-.of.fFies..f2,;5 ,cr

6, to provide lfor still ,further relativeinovement .of thewires xwhichmake, up..tt1.e1ar1gS0f.=-the onveyerand .to enabletlieconveyer.tobepassed aboutanulley of. Yerv.sma11,:diameter.

of :uniform -,svze, ,lout are larger than i the conf YQlutionsM.

- i In,A that form Aof theinvention. shown.. in eEe of the drawing theconnecting Wires 5,0 are straight; and,extend through thecentraLportioncoils. Separately formed coils of wire Fu-.having `.larger oo nyolutions.hingedlv L.Connected fbygi'the straight .Wires 570 form. the .marginaliportion. or

`flange of the,"c onveyer.' lThe ends of thellwires 56 are Weldedl tothelargerco-ilsj along Atheline A--A before VVturningup v...the edge .to.form the niange. .'The. flange is thus connected. to. thecentralportion ofthe conveyer ..adjacert.theputer ends'of the Wires 1.56 .andadjacent the ...inner ends 4ofthe Wires.

`Withv this construction the .connecting .Wires V5.0 .are locatedadjacent'.the` apices .of' the .coils ment about the Wires `50 but areheld against relative movementlongitudinally of the conveyer.

Generally,the-.conveyer is formed as a continuous flatconstruction asshown in Fig. 1 and thereafter the marginal flanges are formed byturning the edges .thereof upward along the line A-A to provide thefinished flanged conveyer.

lIt' is preferable to Weld` the connecting Wires to the coils along:line-.A-A to securely bond the Wires together atx-'the opposite edgesof the conveyer body and at the points at the base of the flanges aboutWhich the Wires are bent to form the flanges. f

While certain preferred forms of wire lconveyers embodying the presentinvention have .been shown inthe drawing and described above,

it Will be apparent that the type of Weave or arrangementand relativepositions of the wires in the conveyer and the shape and form of theconnecting Wires and coils employed are capable of many changes andmodifications Without departing fromthe spirit andr scope of theinvention.` It should, therefore, be understood that the particularembodiments thereof specifically referred Yto and shown in the drawingare intended to; beillustrative of the invention and arenot-intended ytolimit the following claims. vIclaimr-` 1. In a Wire conveyer havingflanges adjacent the opposite edges thereof and embodying coils of wirehingedly connected by transversely extending connecting vvires, saidconnecting wires having opposite end portions disposed in said flangesand formed with convolutions of larger size in said opposite endportions which permit greater relative movement of the coils of Wire inthe flanges than in the central portions of the conveyer, wherebymovement of the conveyer about an arcuate surface will permit greaterelongation of the flanges than of the central portion of the conveyer.

2. In a Wire conveyer having flanges adjacent the opposite edges thereofand embodying coils of Wire hingedly connected by transversely extendingconnecting Wires, said connecting wires having opposite end portionsdisposed in said flanges and formed with convolutions of progressivelyincreasing size toward the extremities thereof to permit greaterrelative movement of the coils of Wire in the yflanges than in thecentral portion of the conveyer.

3. In a Wire conveyer having flanges adjacent the opposite edges thereofand embodying coils of Wire hingedly connected by transversely extendingconnecting wires, said connecting wires having opposite end portionsdisposed in said flanges and formed with convolutions of uniformlygreater size than the central portion of the Wire to permit greaterrelative movement of the coils of Wire in the flanges than in thecentral portion of the conveyer.

4. A Wire conveyer having flanges adjacent the opposite edges thereofand embodying coils of wire hingedly connected by transversely extendingconnecting Wires, the central portion of the connecting wires in theconveyer having convolutions therein of one size and the portions of theconnecting wires located in the flanges of the conveyer havingconvolutions therein of a larger size.

5. A wire conveyer having flanges adjacent the opposite edges thereofand embodying coils of wire hingedly connected by transversely extend-Ving connecting wir'esj the central portion ofthe connecting wireslocated 'in the flanges of the conveyer having convolutions thereinincreasing progressively in size from the' central portion of theconveyer toward the edges of the flanges.

6. In a wire conveyer' having flanges at the opposite edges thereof andembodying coils of wire hingedly connected by transversely extendingconnecting Wires, said connecting Wires having opposite end portionsAdisposed in said flangesgsaid connecting Wire having convolutionsthroughout the length thereof, the convolutions in that portion of theconnecting Wire located in said flang'esbeingv larger than theconvolutions adjacentthe center ofthe Wire whereby the flanges of theconveyer are capable of greater elongation than the center of theconveyer.

7. In a Wire conveyer having flanges adjacent the opposite edges thereofand embodying coils of Wire hingedly connected by transversely extendingconnecting Wires, said connecting wires having opposite end portionsdisposed in said flanges, and formed with uniform convolutions adjacentthe central portion thereof and'convolutions of larger. size inthat-portion of the connecting wires located in the flanges to permitgreater relative movement of the Wires in the flanges than inthecentral'portion of the conveyer.

8. In a wire conveyer having flanges adjacent the opposite edgesthereofand embodying coils of wire hingedly connected' by transversely.extending connecting wires, said connecting Wires having opposite endportions disposed in said flanges and formed with uniform convolutionsadjacent the central portion of the connecting wires and convolutions ofprogressively increasing size in that portion thereof located in theflanges of the conveyer to permit greater relative movement of the Wiresin the flanges than in the central portion of the conveyer.

9. A wire conveyer having a central portion and having flanges adjacentthe opposite edges thereof, said conveyer comprising coils of Wireextending transversely of the conveyer and provided with end portionsdisposed in said flanges, and connecting wires extending across theconveyer and hingedly connecting said coils of wire, said connectingwires having end portions vdisposed in veyer as the conveyer passesabout an arcuate surface. 10. A Wire conveyer having a central portionand having flanges adjacent the opposite edges of the central portion,said conveyer comprising coils of wire extending transversely of theconveyer and provided with opposite end portions disposed in saidflanges, and connecting wires extending transversely across the conveyerand hingedly Connecting said coils, said connecting wires havingportions located in the central portion of'the conveyer and providedwith uniform convolutions of one size and having end portions located insaid flanges and provided with convolutions of larger size therein topermit greater relative movement of the wires in the flanges than in thecentral portion of the conveyer Whereby movement of the conveyer aboutan arcuate surface will permit greater elongation of the flanges than ofthe central portion of the conveyer.

